Starting work, feeling good

I woke up feeling very positive this morning. That’s as much to do with having had enough sleep as well as the lovely messages of support I’ve had since joining the race. I’m such a monster when I don’t get enough sleep. It’s a constant struggle trying to fit in a social life with needing my eight hours a night (I have to get the kids up for school at 5.45am). There are also the occasions where I know perfectly well that I don’t actually need any more sleep, but my bed… is just… so… divine…

But not so this morning: I added some more to my chapter plan, and then I visited my character sheets where, instead of feeling a bit cardboardy, they had started feeling more real to me. I reminded myself why I’d named the four main characters what I’ve called them by visiting one of the name your baby sites, and felt particularly happy about one of character’s names.

Several weeks ago husband and I did a diary session, which consisted mostly of him saying: ‘I’m away here, and have (business) visitors there, so will need to be out schmoozing these evenings…’ so it was decided that I could have a weekend to myself. The plan being that I would go away with only my laptop as company, and try to write. (Maybe this is what precipitated jumping into the novel race now because next weekend is ‘JJ’s weekend to herself’). I do feel much more confident now that I will be writing my first draft rather than playing Bejeweled 2 Deluxe! Still, you know it might be better to uninstall it anyway, just to be on the safe side: I mean, it’s only a cold and I really could quit anytime. I’m going to stay in Khao Sam Roi Yot ‘three hundred peaks’ National Park which is a couple of hours away from Bangkok. It’s on the coast and has an incredible mountainous skyline to look at.

As well as beginning writing, I’m going to catch up with my desk photo, which I know is an out of date subject, but I enjoyed seeing everyone’s and wanted to join in. I am planning to get round to as many people as possible to say hello. Please bear with me.

Got a busy day tomorrow: Monday is Dreamweaver brain drain day (these are lessons I’m taking because I am attempting to learn it for a voluntary position I have taken with a charitable group here!). I am intending not to go back to bed when the children are picked up 6.30am and go and do some work instead. So watch this space...